


A Tale of Midgardsurmr's Devotion

by aTasteofCaramell



Category: Matantei Loki Ragnarok | Mythical Detective Loki Ragnarok
Genre: A lack of a basic understanding of regular life is amusing and adorable, Father-Son Relationship, Fish out of Water, Fluff, Gen, Innocence, Midgardsurmr before he was Yamino, Newly transformed, Pre-Series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-13
Updated: 2013-07-13
Packaged: 2017-12-20 02:42:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,076
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/882004
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aTasteofCaramell/pseuds/aTasteofCaramell
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Midgardsurmr and Loki prepare for their new life on Earth.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Tale of Midgardsurmr's Devotion

Midgardsormr marveled at this world. He could hardly believe that it and the cold, dark, water-filled realm of his were one and the same. The breeze ran fresh in his face, and the grass tickled his damp, bare ankles. 

"We'll have to stop by a shop and get you some regular clothes," Loki said, as he led Midgardsormr through the first few buildings of a city.

Midgardsormr looked down at himself, still getting a mental jolt from his vastly changed appearance. "Are these not regular?"

Loki glanced over his shoulder and smiled. "Not really. They're usually worn for the night."

"Oh." Midgardsormr fell silent as they began to walk the streets of the city. The people, and the noise, and the bright colors were so distractingly wonderful that Midgardsormr would have fallen far behind Loki, if his father didn't also hold his attention. No matter how fascinating the scenery, Midgardsormr's gaze was always drawn back to the form of Loki. "I'm afraid I don't understand what regular is."

"That's okay. I'll teach you."

Midgardsormr beamed and ducked his head. Loki held out one arm and Midgardsormr came to a halt while his father leaned out and looked up and down the street. Midgardsormr stared at him, drinking in his appearance. His silken hair of dusty scarlet was sheeted with gold, and his eyes held the deepest green, like the depths of emeralds at the bottom of the ocean. His form was tall, proportioned to perfection and elegant to behold.

"Come on." His voice was soft, gentle, deep, and as smooth as moss. Loki started across the street and Midgardsormr hurried after him. The pavement was hot on his bare feet, but not overwhelmingly so; it was early morning, and Midgardsormr enjoyed even this sensation. Everything new was wonderful, and his father had brought him to this.

Loki took him into a clothing store and soon had him trying on the garments. It was awkward at first, with Midgardsormr fumbling with how to deal with the fasteners and draw the cloth over a form he didn't yet understand how it functioned together. When he finally managed to squeeze himself into the constricting garments, he emerged to show his father.

"That looks good," Loki commented. Midgardsormr tried not to squirm as he looked in the mirror. He blinked several times, looking for himself, before he realized that image was himself. "What do you think?"

Midgardsormr pulled at the collar. "It's very nice."

Loki shook his head. "You don’t like it.”

Midgardsormr felt his face heat up, and for a moment he was so captivated by the sensation that he forgot to answer the question. "It itches," he admitted. "And it's tight."

Loki pursed his lips. "You're not used to clothes. Let me see what I can find..." he perused the hanging clothes again and came out with several more outfits. "Try these." He gave him a stern look. "And don't say you like them if you don't."

Midgardsormr hung his head and took the clothes. "I’m sorry, Father." He went back into the dressing room and rejected many more clothes. He tried lying again, once, when he was sure Loki must be getting frustrated, but Loki never showed signs of annoyance. He exuded patience, and even fetched an employee of the store to help him find what he wanted. Embarrassed, Midgardsormr hid in the dressing room and refused to come out, despite Loki's telling him that getting assistance was perfectly normal.

Finally, though, Midgardsormr slipped into a suit, silky and soft to the touch. He sighed in ecstasy as the comfort fit into place around him. When he came out, Loki took one glance at him, then turned to the assistant and said, "We'll take the lot."

"How did you know I liked this one, Father?" Midgardsormr inquired as they left, Midgardsormr arrayed in his new attire. "I didn't tell you."

"Your smile," Loki said. Midgardsormr smiled again, and when Loki smiled back he ducked his head once more, heart swelling. They walked down the street a little further.

“Where are we going, Father?”

“I have a temporary place set up for us at a hotel. Are you getting tired?”

“No!” Midgardsormr exclaimed. Walking and seeing and hearing was too fascinating to be tiring in the least.

“Well, we can always take a…bus.” At this last word, Loki grimaced, but the expression flitted away as soon as it had come. “So just tell me if you get tired, okay?”  Midgardsormr nodded, wondering what a bus was and why it caused Loki discomfort. He turned his head to look at brightly colored clothes displayed in a shop window as they passed, and then returned his gaze to his father.

Loki glanced at him. "Why do you keep looking at me like that?"

Midgardsormr looked at the concrete beneath their feet as they walked before looking back up. "You're...beautiful, Father," he said in answer. He paused, and tried to think of another word. "You're...handsome. You are very handsome." Loki was smiling again, softly.

"Well, thank you."

"I didn't have good eyesight as a serpent," Midgardsormr continued. "I knew your taste, smell, the feel of your body heat, and the sound of your voice, but I didn't know what you looked like. Now I do."

"Right," Loki's smile faded a little. "About that...I'm not going to be in this form for much longer."

Midgardsormr stopped walking. "What? Why?"

"I told you Odin banished me," Loki said. "I didn't tell you yet that he banished me in the form of a child."

Midgardsormr stared at him, looking at his form up and down. "Then why...? Is this the form of a human child?"

"No," Loki stood with his hands in his pockets. "My magic is rapidly slipping away from me, but it isn't all gone yet, so I can still revert to this form temporarily. I decided to do so, so that I wouldn't alarm or confuse you."

Midgardsormr cocked his head. "Your smell-taste would be the same, even as a child."

"Maybe so. I'm not sure what will change." Loki started walking again, and Midgardsormr did as well, to keep up. They didn't speak again for a long while. Midgardsormr walked as close to Loki as he could without their arms actually touching. He looked down at Loki's hands, and the skin just visible above the pockets.

"What is it, Midgardsormr?" Loki asked, and Midgardsormr felt a rush of contentment at the sound of his father's voice saying his name.

"Is it regular to touch others?" Midgardsormr asked.

"Huh?" Loki asked. "Why?"

"I know your taste, smell, sound, sight, and taste-smell and temperature, but I don't know what you feel like. Is it regular to touch?"

Loki smiled, and the smile was soft. "Yes. Yes of course it is." He took Midgardsormr's elbow and drew him into the shadow of a lip of a building, out of the sun on the sidewalk. Then, he raised his arms and wrapped them around Midgardsormr's shoulders. Midgardsormr blinked. He hadn't been expecting that. He'd thought that he would simply stand at arms length and allow Midgardsormr to touch him up and down. Midgardsormr stood for a moment, and then raised his own arms to hesitantly wrap around Loki's body in a similar fashion. The fabric of his clothing was soft and velvet. Midgardsormr rested his head on his father's shoulder, feeling the fabric up his back with his fingers.

"You smell different," he commented with surprise. "Sweet, and light."

"That's the detergent on my clothes," Loki said.

"Oh." Midgardsormr missed his father's scent. He was sad he couldn't smell it anymore. Then he was surprised by his Loki's voice in his ear. It was different than it had been all day; it was rough, harsh. Frightening.

"You're so innocent," Loki's different voice said. "How could anybody just throw you away like this? How dare they? I'm sorry, Midgardsormr. I'm so sorry." And his hold tightened around him. Midgardsormr didn't understand why Loki was apologizing. Loki had come for him. Loki had rescued him from the lonely darkness and brought him up into this bright, new world. Loki had no reason to be apologizing. Midgardsormr lifted his hands up further and stroked Loki's hair. It was as silken as it looked. Loki's frightening voice disappeared, and he chuckled.

Midgardsormr drew his hands back. "Is that regular?"

"Not quite." Loki laughed. "And people are beginning to stare." With that, Loki's arms came loose and he stepped back, dark green eyes sparkling.

"Thank you," Midgardsormr said, unsure why, but convinced that the contact had somehow grown his adoration even more, if that were possible.

Loki smiled. "You're welcome." The next instant, Loki's face twisted into a grimace. His hand went to his chest and he winced, and then cringed.

"Father!" Midgardsormr may have spent his life at the bottom of the ocean, but he knew pain when he saw it. "Father, what's wrong?"

"Just...a bit..." Loki's gaze darted around the street. "There." He drew himself up and stumbled into an alley. Midgardsormr followed him in, and then froze, looking up and down the empty space.

"Father?"

"I'm here, Midgardsormr." That was not the voice of his father. Midgardsormr whirled, but still saw no one. He turned back and, from behind stacked boxes, a form rose. A small form. The form of a child. The child had a small, sad smile on his face. "It's me."

Midgardsormr knelt down without saying anything and studied the new creature. Though childish, the hair and eyes were the same, and even the voice, though an octave higher, held the same smooth tones. Midgardsormr reached out and touched a few strands of the hair. "I see."

"Do you mind?" Loki asked, looking concerned.

Midgardsormr tilted his head. "Well, I'm used to you seeming small, so this isn't much different."

Loki laughed, and his falsetto made Midgardsormr smile. "Excellent, then. Are you hungry?" Midgardsormr nodded. He was always hungry. It was hard to find enough food when one was constantly growing and living where few other creatures did. "I'm half-starved," child-Loki said cheerfully as they headed back out into the street. He led them into a small building. The interior was set up with many empty tables and chairs, a long counter along one side, with a glowing wall that showed pictures and words. The smell hit them as a wave. Midgardsormr had never smelled such a scent, but it made his ever-present hunger pangs grow even sharper.

"Welcome," a young lady called from behind the counter. "I'll be with you in a moment."

Loki pointed at the glowing wall. "Pick whatever you want, however much you want."  

Midgardsormr stared at the pictures, furrowing his forehead. "What sorts of creatures are these?"  

Loki looked confused for an instant. "They aren't living things, Midgardsormr."  

"Then what—”  

The girl behind the counter gave them a funny look.  

"Don't worry about it," Loki said quickly, his mouth twitching. "Just pick what looks good."  

Midgardsormr didn't know what looked good, so he pointed at a picture at random and Loki ordered the food, which earned them another funny look from the girl. After they had paid, and the girl busied herself with other things, Midgardsormr caught glimpses of people running back and forth through the windows on a door behind the counter. He faintly saw flashes of red and many peculiar motions. Remembering the girl, Midgardsormr asked Loki quietly, "What are they doing, Father?"  

Loki answered just as quietly, "Humans generally take food as you know it, in the form of creatures and vegetation, and mix them together in certain ways to make them taste better. It's called cooking."  

"Is it regular?"  

"Very. Humans do it at least three times a day, or they pay someone to do it for them."  

Midgardsormr stared eagerly at the figures behind the door. "That sounds wonderful," he said. The idea of having an abundance of food was lovely enough, but actually making it taste excellent sounded heavenly.  

Loki shrugged. "Some people enjoy it."  

"Do you?"  

"Not really."  

An idea crashed upon Midgardsormr like a flash of lightening. "May I cook for you, Father? Would you like that?"  

Loki smiled. "If you want to, yes." Midgardsormr raised his chin and beamed. The girl handed Loki a few packages on a tray.  

"I'll take that," Midgardsormr said eagerly. Loki handed him the tray, and Midgardsormr carefully carried it to one of the tables. They both sat down and opened the containers. Midgardsormr watched Loki use the sticks to eat--how peculiar, using something other than your fingers and mouth to eat, but that must be regular to humans--and then copied his actions. The food was the most delicious thing Midgardsormr had ever tasted--and it was hot. Not merely warm from life, but heated through, and unlike anything he'd ever had before; flavors spoke to each other and swam around in his mouth. Nothing was tough or unpleasant to taste.  

Loki was smiling at him again. It made Midgardsormr pleasantly warm. How he loved his father's smile. "You look as though you're enjoying yourself," Loki commented. Midgardsormr nodded rapidly, but didn't bother answering. When he finished, Loki ordered three more, of different things, and they were all equally delicious.  

His appetite finally abated, Midgardsormr had still finished before Loki had finished his one serving. That must not be regular. Midgardsormr made a mental note to eat more slowly in the future.  

"This is strangely wonderful," Midgardsormr mused aloud.  

"What is?" Loki asked absently. He leaned back in his chair, crossing his legs and sipping the last of the water from a cup.  

"Not being hungry." Loki stiffened, and Midgardsormr watched him, frightened, as the empty cup slowly crumpled in Loki's childlike hand. "Father?" 

Loki, after several minutes, slowly relaxed and smiled at Misgardsorm again. Midgardsormr smiled back, timidly. He waited until Loki had eaten a few more bites before he ventured, a little afraid that he would wake the frightening anger in his father again, "Are there any other regular things you don't like doing?"

Loki put down the sticks and leaned forward. "Listen to me, Midgardsormr. You don't have to do anything for me, all right? You're my son, and you don't have to prove anything to me."  

The warmth came through Midgardsormr again. "I know," he said, also leaning forward. "That's why I want to do it. I want to help you any way I can, because..." he stopped, at a loss for words. "Because you're my father. I enjoy helping you."  

Loki leaned back, smiling again. "I can make you a list of regular things, if you'd like me to."  

"Yes please!" Midgardsormr said. "Thank you, Father!"  

He spoke a little loudly, and the girl was now staring unabashedly at them. Loki winced. "Say, uh, Midgardsormr, I think you'll need to call me something else."  

"What?" Midgardsormr was puzzled. "Why?"  

"Well, it looks a little conspicuous when you call me Father."  

"But you are my father."  

"I know, but the humans don't. And...well...it looks impossible for me to be your father. And even if they believed us, instead of thinking we're crazy, a father in the body of a child named Loki just screams 'this person is the exiled god Loki: attack!' don't you think?"  

"But then what shall I call you?"  

"Just plain Loki is fine."  

"Oh, no!" Midgardsormr leaned back, horrified, and blushing. "I could never do that, Fa—um, sir, I couldn't!"  

Loki shrugged, picking at the food on his plate. "Well then, call me whatever you like."  

Midgardsormr considered. "I shall call you...Master Loki!"  

Loki raised an eyebrow. "If you want to."  

Midgardsormr nodded, confident in himself. "Yes. Master Loki. That's right."  

"Okay. Now, about your name..."  

Midgardsormr shrank back again. "What's wrong with my name?"  

"There's nothing wrong with it, but it's pretty unusual. Loki isn't a common name, but it isn't unheard of. But even in Asgard there's no-one else named Midgardsormr. It would be another red flag pointing to our location, and it would be dangerous for you. Nobody knows I came for you." Loki took a bite of what was probably now a stone-cold meal and propped his head in his hands. "Let me see...how about...Yamino?"  

"Yamino?"  

Loki nodded. "Yamino...Yamino...Yamino Ryusuke. What do you think?"  

Midgardsormr blinked. "I don't know. Why Yamino Ryusuke?"  

"I think you look like a Yamino Ryusuke."  

"Do I?" Midgardsormr looked down at his reflection; at his dark hair pulled back, and his blue eyes framed behind the glasses that Loki insisted on. On his soft, dark blue suit and the red ribbon around his neck. "Yes, I think so," he said. "I think I like Yamino."  

"All right then." Loki pushed back his chair and stood. He reached for a crumpled napkin, and then hesitated, and looked up at his son with a smile, drawing his hand back. "I suppose you could call this a regular thing. Would you please throw these things away? The garbage can is over there."  

Yamino, excited and happy to oblige, jumped up and obeyed.      

 

 

"How did you enjoy tonight's meal?" Yamino asked as he took up Loki's empty bowl, doing his best to not appear anxious.  

"Delicious, as always," Loki said. "I admit I wasn't sure what to expect when we started, but you've really thrown yourself into learning how to cook. And you do it better than most!"  

"Thank you, sir!" Yamino beamed with satisfaction and pride as he went to the end of the table to pour Loki a cup of tea.  

"I've been wondering something," Loki said after a few minutes of silence. "Is there anything you miss about your old life, Yamino?"  

Yamino hesitated.  "Nothing about my old life, per say, but..." he stirred his own cup of tea. “I do miss your scent. When I wasn't searching for food, or when I was trying to go to sleep, that's what I would think about and remember."  

"Really?" Loki watched him as he sipped his tea. "What do I smell like?"  

"Like..." Yamino thought. How to describe it? A creeping warmth, a dash of firecrackers, the spice of water. A whirlwind of dripping, gushing kalideskopes. Powerful as a hurricane, and as gentle as a bed of feathers. Yamino looked down into his cup of tea. "Like love, Master Loki," he said. "Like love."

**Author's Note:**

> I love Loki and Yamino's relationship. I love it a lot. <3 <3 <3 Loki's pride and Yamino's adoration is just...squee!


End file.
